Konami Silent Hill Slot Machine

admin 8/3/2022

Konami has announced a surprise pair of ‘Silent Hill’ slot machines. The move has been met with controversy, as diehard fans of the legendary horror game are skeptical of Konami’s new direction. Nevertheless, this new slot game will offer casino-goers an exciting and unusual type of game to play. Konami’s Latest Silent Hill Project Is a Slot Machine Zarmena Khan Saturday, October 12, 2019 Chances of a new Silent Hill game are slim to none but that doesn’t stop fans from hoping for a.

Konami’s new ‘Silent Hill’ slot machine has divided opinion amongst fans of the horror game ©thesixthaxis.com

Konami has created not one, but two brand new ‘Silent Hill’ themed slot machines. ‘Silent Hill Escape’ and ‘Silent Hill Return’ both draw on one of the developer’s most critically acclaimed gaming franchises. For those unfamiliar with this title, the ‘Silent Hill’ series is a set of survival horror video games set in a fictitious American town. Since its first title released in 1999, the series has gained a cult following. It is this large fan base that has expressed its disregard for the new ‘Silent Hill’ slot machines.

The announcement comes ahead of their appearance at G2E, the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas. G2E describes itself as ‘the largest gathering of global, commercial and tribal gaming professionals in North America’. Here, Konami will be able to showcase their new gaming cabinets and titles to an audience of industry professionals.

Despite some negative press from the gaming community, Konami has a positive outlook on their latest offerings. The Executive Vice President of the firm said the “aim is empowering operators with exceptional entertainment to reach and engage today’s players and beyond” and that the company is “actively leveraging a combination of top technology, talent, design, and development to deliver a host of new products at this year’s event, through the immediate years to come”.

“This cabinet is a striking combination of sleek entertainment, premium packaging, and player comfort, backed by a rich library of original titles. Everything, including its shape, screens, betting surface, and available merchandising, has been engineered to maximize both player experience and operational results. This latest cabinet is the first glimpse at great things to come from Konami.”– Tom Jingoli, Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer, Konami

A Controversial Move

This is not the first time that Konami or the ‘Silent Hill’ franchise has courted controversy. In April of 2015 the ninth installment, ‘Silent Hills’ was canceled suddenly. This action came as a shock to fans and industry pundits alike, as it’s precursor ‘P.T’ – a ‘playable teaser’ – was met with positive reviews. ‘P.T’ was created in collaboration between Hideo Kojima and acclaimed film director Guillermo del Toro. Following the abrupt cancellation of ‘Silent Hills’ and removal of ‘P.T’ from the PlayStation Network, Del Toro said that he would never work on a game again and described the move as ‘one of the most moronic things I’ve ever witnessed’. Konami then removed itself from the New York Stock Exchange and expressed a new focus on mobile gaming.

Later in 2015, another huge change came for Konami. Hideo Kojima, Konami’s most celebrated video game producer, parted ways with the company. He is most well known for developing titles in the ‘Metal Gear’ franchise. There has been much speculation over what really happened, although the general consensus seems to be ‘artistic differences’. Since the split, Konami has moved away from video games and now develops an array of casino and mobile games.

This isn’t the first slot machine that Konami has developed with a ‘Silent Hill’ theme. Their first pachinko machine was actually launched in 2015. However this one didn’t seem to leave Japan, so it didn’t garner much media attention. This time, Konami has chosen a much more public approach, designed to showcase its new identity at the forefront of the casino gaming industry. Konami have also recently established themselves as a competitive force in eSports, with the announcement of an innovative new complex.

Despite a distinctly negative response from the video gaming community, it can’t be said that Konami isn’t doing well. In fact, drawing on its own gaming history with the inclusion of the ‘Silent Hill’ slot machines is proving to be one of the company’s most savvy decisions of late. Konami might be ruffling feathers, but they are also drawing media attention. They have got people talking about their new games and are attracting a new audience to casino gaming. Horror titles are pretty uncommon when it comes to slot machines, so in creating one, what better source material could there be? These new games will spark a lot of interest at casinos, simply because they are different from most other slots. Konami might not be pleasing everybody, but they certainly know how to shake up the industry.

These innovations in “gaming” have little respect to pay to the video game roots they were founded upon and flourished from.

By Chris Morse

If you came of age during the horror gaming boom of the late ‘90s and early 2000s, you might have taken part in your fair share of Resident Evil vs. Silent Hill debates. While the civilized among the community might have loved both franchises on their own merits, the iconic survival horror jump scares of Resident Evil and the twisted psychological horror of Silent Hill alike, there were plenty of us who dared to say we had a favorite franchise and weren’t afraid to pick a side. Today, it’s kind of an easy choice.

While Capcom is undergoing quite the resurgence since redefining its flagship horror experience with Resident Evil 7 and following that up with a fantastic remake of a beloved title from its earlier library, Konami is appealing to its shareholders and investors with… a Silent Hill slot machine. This is definitely some exciting news for the droves of elderly casino-goers who will pour hundreds (or thousands) of dollars into the machine without ever really knowing what the property is.

Sure, it’s occasionally fun to come across a slot machine of a recognizable branding, but seeing the company tout the excitements and innovations of this product in the industry of gaming induces a mighty groan. Even in a space plagued with loot boxes and microtransactions, some models more ethical than others, there’s something to be said about slapping a Silent Hill coat of paint on a slot machine and calling it engaging, “exceptional entertainment.” The only engagement players of these cabinets care about is the addictive prospect of the machine spitting out that coveted payday of returning more money than was put in. That’s the one thrill at the center of the entire casino experience.

All games are made to make money at the end of the day, but creatives in the entertainment side of the industry are striving to create genuine excitement, engagement, and narrative experiences for its players. As has been known for a few years now, Konami has knowingly left that side of its business behind, instead focusing on more profitable markets such as slot machines and mobile games. However, it’s still quite the stinger to see nothing done with the Silent Hill IP except this. The same goes for the legendary Castlevania and Metal Gear franchises.

On the other hand, Capcom is doing better than ever on the home gaming side and also has the financials to back it up. In the same year, the company has renewed mainstream interest in two of its major properties, Resident Evil and Devil May Cry, all while boasting huge numbers with Monster Hunter: World and taking on an active role in esports through its fighting games.

The casino industry might be more lucrative for Konami these days, but Capcom is taking home all of the acclaim in the space of video gaming, even after its stumbles with Resident Evil 6 and other mediocre spinoffs. It’s a case study in how to right the ship after years of moving in the wrong direction.

Konami, on the other hand, has pivoted far away from its legacy, leaving fans of its legendary properties little more than a laughable Silent Hill slot machine to be excited about in 2019 and beyond. It might be better for the company’s bottom line, but it’s harder to imagine a sadder state of affairs than this.

It looks like Resident Evil won the great horror gaming debate after all.

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